1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods for processor-controlled electronic devices which allow their energy consumption to be reduced, particularly in standby mode.
2. Background of the Art
In communications networks, for example, in the PSTN or the packet-oriented Intranet or Internet, wired communications terminals, such as, telephones or fax machines, are frequently used. Due to their connection via modem to the communications networks and their construction with displays and other applications, as well as with a standby state or standby operation, these wired communications terminals are reliant upon a mostly continuous energy supply from a power supply system. In contrast to mobile, mostly battery-operated mobile communications terminals, the costs for energy consumption by wired communications terminals are therefore continuously increasing due to increasing energy usage. The cost increase also applies to all electronic, mostly processor-controlled devices that are supplied with power from a public or private power supply system.
With processor-controlled electronic devices, program-implemented methods are currently being used in which subsystems that are not required during the standby state are inactivated by the control, in order to lower energy consumption. With such solutions, schedulers are generally provided that receive information about the current operating states of the device and, using this information, switch the device by means of the control into the current states, i.e., also into an energy savings mode, when the device is on standby. This means that, particularly with processor-controlled communications terminals, the main processing unit is always active and a significant reduction in energy consumption is prevented.